New Deck

Every year my parents come to visit, and every year we have a project for my dad.  This year's project was a deck on the back of our house.  I have been dreaming about having a deck for several years.  With everyone helping we got it done in record time.

 The boys enjoyed helping to remove the old porch.

Foundation being laid.  The kids had a grand time going in and out of the door without a porch.

Everyone helped attach the deck boards!

 Cute little guy!!!

almost done with deck boards

 makes a great place to pretend you're in a cage

Steps and gate done.

 All done!

Fun walking on outside of deck

First snow from deck

 This  little guy is just too cute!!!!

Bethy

Today my smiling girl turns six.

She likes to pretend that Josiah is her twin.

She made a new friend this year.

And spent time with some other friends.  The girl to the left of Beth was born the day before Beth and with the same midwife.

She loved the snow we had this year.

Ginger

Last March for Abby's birthday she got a lionhead rabbit.  We now have three lionhead rabbits.  She named her rabbit Ginger.  Hannah adores the bunny.  However, the name Ginger has led to some very funny confusions as to which ginger.

Abby holding Ginger

Hannah and Ginger

Anytime I say ginger Hannah immediately thinks it is the rabbit.  One day when Abby was sick she asked to have a ginger-bath.  Ginger baths seem to help with fevers and general flu symptoms.  When Hannah heard this she wanted to go get Ginger the rabbit to put in the tub.
Another time Hannah was asking me for "bunny chews".  I was very confused about what she was asking for.  Finally I figured it out, she wanted the ginger candies that I had bought for a trip to help those who had motion sickness.

Our Summer, so far

We are staying busy this summer, like always.  We had a good school year.  Everyone finished the work I had planned for them.  Josiah has it easy in school.  He hears the twins learn a concept.  Then when he gets to that concept he is already familiar with it from just over hearing them learn it.

Last month my parents came for a visit.  I love when they come.  We usually do some project around the house.  This year's project was to replace the carpet with laminate flooring.  The kids all helped.  My aunt also came over to help with it.  Grandma's job was to hold and entertain Nathan so I could do some of the work too.  My knees really hurt after a day of work.  The rooms look so much better with out the carpet and the kids love to slide on it with their socks.

A before shot of the very stained carpet

Removing carpet and staples from the floor

Some of the dirt we found under the carpet.  I never want carpet again!

The boys really helped with putting the laminate together

Grandma and Nathan

The finished floor looks beautiful

After we finished the floor we took a day to go hiking in the La Plata Mountains.  My aunt joined us.  It was a steep trail that my dad picked.  We went up a ways before turning back with the kids, but my dad continued to the very top and found an old mine.  He was very happy with his hike to the top of the mountain.

We stopped to look at a chipmunk

View from near the top

Also while my parents were here, Abby got to play the piano for church during the offering.  She has been practicing hymns on her own out of the Complete Church Piano Course book one which I wrote about in another post.  She is doing very well at learning the piano.

After my parents left we went camping at Dead Horse Ranch State Park in AZ.  This year we had a cabin which made packing nicer.  We didn't have to squeeze a tent, air mattresses, etc. in an already crowded van.  The kids were so busy playing with friends that they were only at our cabin to eat and sleep.  The first morning they were up way too early and found that their friends were up too.  It was a blessing to see them playing with other young people and making new friends.  I enjoyed the fellowship with other ladies, too.

Our cabin

Nathan enjoying the cabin porch

We went to Phoenix after camp to visit Faithful Word Baptist Church and see friends there who did not get to go on the camping trip.

Tried to get everyone to smile and look at the camera, but we didn't have time or patience for 50+ pictures

My garden has suffered greatly this year.  It has more weeds than vegetables.  Nathan is the center of attention around here this summer.  All his older siblings love to hold and entertain him.

Nathan about two weeks old

Hannah would hold him all the time if she could

So sweet!!

Nathan about 2 months old

Ready for church

The boys

Josiah entertaining Nathan.

Robert and Nathan

Busy watching everything 

I can't believe he will be three months old in just a few days!

Nathan's Birth

Monday morning, April 28^th, my midwife called to see how I was doing.  She said I was on her mind and she thought I would soon have the baby.  I wanted to tell her “If you come maybe my body will decide that it is time.”   For weeks I had many braxton-hicks contractions, but nothing consistent. On Monday night I thought my water had broken.  It turned out to be just some mucus and bloody show.  The midwife came out and checked me.  I was not very far into labor.  We sent all the kids to bed.  She encouraged me to walk for an hour.  I was having contractions about 2-4 min. apart, but they slowed down if I rested.  Around midnight we decided to get some sleep.  I didn’t sleep very well, because the contractions were waking me up every 15-20 min. That has been my “sign” for the last two births, so I knew that he would be born the next day.  In the morning Gabe cooked breakfast for us while I walked some more outside.  It was cool and I didn't stay out long.  Soon the kids were all up, and disappointed that their brother hadn't been born, yet.

Monday night I had called my aunt who said she wanted to help take care of the kids.  She didn't answer her phone, which didn't surprise me since she goes to bed early and after taking out her hearing aids would not hear the phone.  I left her a text message and hoped she would get it in the morning. I tried again Tuesday morning, but she still wasn't answering her phone.  I finally had my sister stop by as she went to work and let her know.  My aunt arrived around 10 am.  We talked and I walked some more, but there were too many distractions I still wasn't progressing much. 

My midwife suggested that my aunt take the kids somewhere.  She took the four oldest and went to KFC.  Hannah refused to leave mommy.  My husband decided to go to KFC also, and get lunch for us, too.  My midwife decided that she would leave for a couple of hours too, because “a watched pot never boils”.  I was left at home with just Hannah.  I set her at the computer with a preschool game that she could play without help and I went to my room sat on my exercise ball and read a book to take my mind of counting contractions.  It worked!  My husband was delayed for a long time at KFC because someone in front of them took all the chicken, and they had to wait for more to cook. 

By the time he got back I was having painful contractions.  I called my midwife, and she soon returned too.  Things happened very quickly after that.  She filled the tub (I have a large tub), and then said we should go to the bed.  I said I really wanted to be in the tub.  Within 20 minutes of being in the tub, he was born.  He was my first water birth, and I would defiantly do it again.  I loved the way the water supported my body as I was pushing. 

Hannah came in and watched while he was being born.  She likes to tell people he was born in the tub.  She would not leave me for the next few hours.  My husband named him Nathan James.  He was born at 2:13 pm on Tuesday, April 29th.  He weighed 7lbs 14oz and was 19 ¾ inches long.  All the kids are excited about their new baby brother and enjoy holding him.  Abby loves taking care of him, and acts like a second mom to him.  Recovery has been slower this time.  I got a cough a few days after the birth and it refuses to go away no matter what I do.  I also have had some nursing issues, but that is clearing up, thanks to a few suggestions from my midwife.

Hannah and Nathan less than an hour after his birth

Robert (9yrs) meeting his brother.  He prayed for a brother for many years.

Abby (9yrs) holding her brother.

Complete Church Piano Course Review

We recently received piano books to use and review from a family friend and my favorite preacher, Pastor Steven Anderson.  As soon as I opened the package, Abby was thrilled.  She has had about 2 years of lessons, and often tries to play from the hymn book.  She was able to play the first two songs in the book very easily.  Robert also wanted to play from the book.  They love how simple the songs are.  First Abby played Nothing but the Blood over and over and over.  Then Robert played it over and over and over.  After a few days of that I now had that song stuck in my head, but it is better than the other stuff they have to practice for their piano teacher. 
I was able to play the first few songs, too.  I am very excited about this because I had very little training, and have taught myself most of what I know.  I’d much rather play hymns than the silly stuff in other practice books.  Now I just need to find spare time to practice.  In the past few weeks they have learned the next several songs on their own with no help from me.  It is so nice to hear them playing hymns!!

Since Abby and Robert are the oldest, I am sure these books will get a lot of use in our family.  The other kids also show interest in the piano.  They are still a little young to have official lessons yet.

Here is the site and a video if you wish to learn more about these books and order them.

 http://www.sanderson1611.blogspot.com/p/the-complete-church-piano-course.html 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrZonzV_lv8

Beth's 4th Birthday

Beth is the only child with a birthday in a different month.  All the others are in March.  This year she asked for homemade pizza.  She also wanted her aunts and grandparents to come to her party. 

Beth is such a sweet child and always smiling.  She loves helping me cook.  Her favorite thing to tell me is "Mom, when I have money I'm going to buy you __________"  She is always making plans for buying things for others even though she doesn't have money. 

 All dressed up in jewelry from Abby.

 Helping with the pizza!

Hannah playing in the tent from Aunt Barbara.  The tent was a big hit!